JERUSALEM, Sept 8: In a decision that could threaten the Middle Bast peace talks, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to fire a minister and a deputy minister who are under investigation for corruption, reports AP.

The two. Interior Minister Arveh Deri and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Rafael Pinchasl, belong to the ultraOrthodox Shas Party.

Shas has threatened .to bolt Rablrl'tYuhng coalition If Deri and Pinchasl are fired. Shas has six seats tn the 120-seat Parliament.

Without Shas, Rabin could continue to rule with a thin one-vote margin since h1s coalition would still control 56 seats and have the support of five Arab legislators who are not part of the coalition.

But Shas departure would rob Rabin of his Jewish majority for making peace with the Arabs and weaken his ability to grant concessions in the peace talks.

A police Investigation against Deri began more than three years ago. When Rabin formed

his government in July 1992. Deri gave him a letter promising he would suspend himself the moment an Indictment was submitted against him in court.

Last month, the attorney general asked that Parliament lift Deri's immunity so he could be Indicted for bribery and fraud. Deri allegedly funnelled some dlrs 250,000 In state money to the party and Into his own pockets and used his position as Interior minister to export favours from municipalities. ।

The attorney general said Deri should step down. But Deri refused, pointing to the earlier agreement with Rabin which said he could stay In office until an indictment was submitted In court.

But the Supreme Court ruled 5-0 on Wednesday to cancel the agreement, saying It was illegal. The high court ruled in response to an appeal by clean government activists.

The judges said that if Deri stayed In office while such charges were pending against him. It would have serious consequences for the image of government.